Blackberry Macarons

Zutaten

• 110 g aged egg whites - about 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar - optional
• 110 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tsp)
• pink and regal purple gel food coloring - optional
• 140 g superfine almond flour - blanched (1 1/4 cups + 1 Tbsp)
• 125 g powdered sugar (1 cup)
• 113 g unsalted butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
• 4 g vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (1 tsp)
• 2 g fine salt (1/8 tsp)
• 166 g powdered sugar (1 1/3 cups)
• 15 g heavy whipping cream, room temperature (1 Tbsp)
• 1/2 cup your favorite blackberry jam
• Kitchen scale
• Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
• Fine Mesh Sieve
• Large, flat baking sheets
• Silpat Mats (or parchment paper)
• 1 Large Piping Bag (18-inch)
• Round Piping Tip - Ateco 805
• 2 Small Piping Bags (12-inch)
• Small Round Piping Tip

Zubereitung

1. 1

   --- French Macaron Shells ---

2. 2

   Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats. Set aside.

3. 3

   Pour 110g of aged egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add in a pinch of cream of tartar and continue to mix until it reaches the soft peak stage.

4. 4

   Gradually mix in 110g of granulated sugar into the eggs over a few minutes while mixing on a medium low speed. Increase the mixing speed to a medium high speed. Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.

5. 5

   Sift 140g superfine almond flour and 125g powdered sugar into the meringue. Add in a squirt of pink and purple gel food coloring to give the shells a warm purple color, then fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Use a circular motion that sweeps around the edge of the bowl and then pull through the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed together.

6. 6

   Fold until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it is lifted. You should be able to draw a couple figure 8's with the batter running off your spatula when it is the right consistency. If the stream of batter breaks before you're able to do this, you may need to stir it a bit more.

7. 7

   Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and pipe 1 3/4-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart.

8. 8

   Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.

9. 9

   Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed. While the macarons rest, preheat the oven to 315 F / 157 C.

10. 10

    Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 17-20 minutes and rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.

11. 11

    Remove from oven and let the macarons cool on the pan (about 15 minutes), then gently remove them from the silpat mat.

12. 12

    --- Buttercream Frosting ---

13. 13

    Beat 113g room-temperature butter on a medium speed until smooth.

14. 14

    Mix in 4g vanilla extract and 2g salt on a low speed.

15. 15

    Slowly mix in 166g of powdered sugar and 15g of heavy cream on a low speed. Mix for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.

16. 16

    If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional heavy cream or milk (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1 Tbsp at a time).

17. 17

    Once the frosting is the right consistency, place in a piping bag fit with a small round tip and set aside.

18. 18

    --- Assembling These Blackberry Macarons ---

19. 19

    Pair up the macaron shells, then pipe a ring of buttercream around one macaron shell. Fill the center with blackberry jam and gently press a second shell on top to create a sandwich.

20. 20

    This step is optional, but I like to brush a bit of edible gold paint over the top of the macaron to give it a little extra flair. I used edible art paint, but you can also use a mixture of clear liquor or extract and luster dust.

21. 21

    Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight, then enjoy!